Get out what's inside of you.

Yesterday's headache subsided, eventually. The run may have helped. Or not. I made a commitment to run every day this week, I want to run more regularly. 

I will begin the "year runs" as soon as possible after New Year's. What is the point of ritual if you do not keep it?

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 37:48
Pace: 9:26
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 41°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: much, much better
Weight: 178.5 lbs. (+0.5)

I mean, I also had a headache this morning, but it went away.

Okay, so. One drink a day. One sugary treat a day (mostly). Controlling my intake. This weekend, anything goes.

I mean, really. This weekend we risk absolutely everything.

Intake

Breakfast: coffee (2x)

Lunch: tomato soup with rice, bread & butter

Treat: Reese's Big Cup w/Potato Chips (WTF???)

Dinner: pasta w/white sauce, salad

Treat: Twizzlers (2x)

Also; fizzy water (1x)

What's That Lyric?

Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung

I thought that I was stronger.

Terrible night's sleep. I wanted to sleep, but the cat kept waking me up. So I woke with a headache and little desire to do, well, anything. There will be a run today, though. I know that for certain, today and again tomorrow.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 31:24
Pace: 10:28
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 40°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: pain
Weight: 178 lbs. (+2.5)

Gear: winter hat, long-sleeved T, gloves, shorts

That was hard. Very hard. The pain moved from one place in my head to another, I could feel it. Had to walk twice, sick to my stomach. Finished, though. Does it make a difference? I say it does.

Intake

Breakfast: oatmeal w/dried fruit, cream, butter & brown sugar, coffee (2x)

Treat: Pocky

Lunch: Ramen w/mushrooms

Treat: Mochi (1x)

Cocktail hour: Old Fashioned, Chex Mix

Dinner: tomato soup with rice, bread & butter & cheese

Also, fizzy water (1x)

What's That Lyric?

Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

Don't do me any favors.

Christmas morning.

Dropped the eldest off at the airport this morning at four. That was more difficult than I could have possibly imagined. Yes, they have been at school all semester, but they are now on a weeklong wildness retreat in the Everglades and I have so much fear I did not know I had.

That, and this guy scolded me in the john for cutting in front of him at the sink. I was distracted. I was once scolded by someone touching my car door to the side of their car (no mark) in the parking garage at work, this just after driving there from the hospital where my mom was dying. It makes me feel so helpless and stupid and I don't know what to say, not even an apology.

It's been a difficult morning. I'm glad I got a little more sleep before beginning the day. 

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:57
Pace: 9:39
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 38°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: better now
Weight: 175.5 lbs. (-2.0)

Gear: Long pants, short-sleeved T, rain jacket, winter hat, gloves

See, I could have worn shorts. But it was all right, just all right. Any warmer and that would have been a drag. The gloves came off after mile two. That's not a metaphor, that means that's when I took my gloves off and shoved them in my pocket.

But the winter coat, that waits until it freezes.

Intake

Breakfast: oatmeal w/dried fruit, cream, butter & brown sugar, coffee (3x)

Lunch: Ramen w/mushroom

Candy: Twizzler (4x)

Dinner: cheeseburger, fries, beer

Also; fizzy water (1x)

What's That Lyric?

Get the Message - Electronic

I just don't wanna go out in the streets no more.

There is a trembling in my lips from time to time, which I associate with the overconsumption of sugar. We are the end of sugar season, ad the questions remains as to whether I can resist all the treats that do remain.

Four days at home, if we are to travel to New York (which remains a question) and what will I do with them? I would like to run every day. And have no more than one treat every day, no more than one drink. That by itself would be a major success.

This meme is going around today (see right) proiding cover for those who feel oppressed by the need to do something, rather than enjoy the interregnum.

Well, sorry. Nice theory, but this is the only time the shit gets done.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:50
Pace: 9:37
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 40°
Climate: overcast & cold
Mood: all right
Weight: 177.5 lbs. (+2.5)

It's hard to choose what to wear when it is just above freezing. Long pants make me weary,, they weight me down. Shorts are okay, unless there is rain or wind. God forbid, wind. Today was good, though. My thighs are cherry red and I'm worried about my knees. Nothing in particular, just in general. Body's like a car, it acts funny in cold temperatures.

Gear: winter hat, shorts, long sleeved shirt, gloves

Intake

Breakfast: coffe (2x), 

Lunch: garlic broccoli, rice

Tea time: tea with milk & sugar, Pocky, apple

Snack: 1 oz. Fritos, Twizzler (2x)

Cocktail: Moscow Mule (1x)

Dinner: pasta & sauce & green beans

Also, fizzy water (2x)

What's That Lyric?

Too Many Creeps - Bush Tetras

My eyes feel like they're gonna bleed.

The boy has Covid. The wife is ill as well. The rest of us keep our distance, mask up indoors, and I am working to keep things as clean as possible.

When the working day ended (I am self-quarantined, working remotely) my wife suggested I take a run. Not what I had planned. But why not?

Distance: .85 miles
Duration: 8:08
Pace: 9:45
Route: One time around the block.
Temperature: 480°
Climate: cool
Mood: maintaining

We breathe. We begin again. Not feeling it tonight, my eyesight gets poorer, running at dusk is not my thing. Not in the cold. The streetlights aren't high, I can't clearly see my feet.

And yet, it felt good. Brief run. Maybe again tomorrow?

What's That Lyric?

Brain Stew - Green Day (BBC Live Sessions)

I'm not going out like that.

If the weather is going to be good, I am going to run! It rained all night, this morning it is pushing fifty and so I broke the shorts back out again. Feeling good again!

Listening to Red Hot + Blue, a de facto holiday album. When we toured Britain in early December 1990, it was as though it was playing in all the shops. But is also what it is, a commemoration of a plague, and the loss, and also the joy for life of those who remain, whom we love.

God. All those we lost.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 23:15
Pace: 9:18
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 48°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: good
Weight: 175 lbs. (-1.5)

Intake

Breakfast: banana, cookie (1x), coffee

Treat: wine gums (1 portion)

Lunch: ramen w/green beans

Treat: wine gums (1 portion), brownie (a gift!)

Dinner: pizza, salad

We had a lot of green beans. Still do.

Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute To Cole Porter (1990)

Night and Day - U2

I Love Paris - Les Negrgesses Vertes

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? - Thompson Twins

Too Darn Hot - Erasure

I Get a Kick Out of You  - Jungle Brothers

From This Moment On - Jimmy Somerville

After You, Who? - Jody Watley

Red Hot + Blue, my 30 year retrospective

Let me be by myself in the evening breeze.

Okay. Two days in a row? Good so far. Let's see if our December will improve upon our November. If we go to England (and that is a large "IF" today) I won't have room to take a running kit, which is a shame, but we'll be doing so much walking it won't matter too much, right?

If we go. I don't want to talk about it.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:51
Pace: 9:37
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 35°
Climate: cool & nice
Mood: better
Weight: 176.5 lbs. (-2.0)

Yes, I consumed a great many calories yesterday. But not arbitrarily By choice. Making decisions.

Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute To Cole Porter (1990)

I've Got You Under My Skin - Neneh Cherry

In the Still of the Night - The Nevulle Brothers

You Do Something To Me - Sinead O'Connor

Begin the Beguine - Salif Keita

Love For Sale - Fine Young Cannibals

Well Did You Evah! - Debbie Harry & Iggy Pop

Miss Otis Regrets/Just One of Those Things - Kirsty MacColl & The Pogues

Don't Fence Me In - David Byrne

It's All Right With Me - Tom Waits

(to be continued)

Red Hot + Blue, my 30 year retrospective

Intake

Breakfast: banana, coffee (2x)

Lunch: turkey wings, green beans, cookie (1x)

Snack: apple

Tea time: decaf, cookie (1x)

Happy hour: Christmas ale, cookies (2x)

Dinner: toretllini w/green beans